The Other View

After all the bruhaha it's back to square one. We are now governed again by myrmidons from Whitehall and the Northern Ireland Office. The state is in a bad state and once more the political institutions have been thrown into a state of stasis. Two steps forward three steps back. Since 1999 the Assembly has trundled along the north's political Via Dolorosa to Golgotha to join the bones of Sunningdale, the Convention, etc. John Reid's decision to suspend the institution has left everyone hanging out to dry. The truth is a divided house can never stand. If that be the case where do or where can we go from here? If this all boils down to a matter of trust then there is much confidence building to be done. Will there ever be trust? Was there ever? Historically speaking the best we can hope for is to reach a mutual compromise and this may well entail putting the entire Agreement back on the table.

The new buzzword within the No Camp' is 'disbandment'. Whatever the complexities within the higher echelons of the body politic, the bottom line from the Nationalist or Loyalist layman is more simple. The former see it as a case of 'No Taigs here'. For the latter it's 'No terrorists in Government'. Somewhere between all this the latest direct ruler Paul Murphy must steer this ship to calm and peaceful waters. He is determined to do so and has the British and Irish government's imprimatur.

In the meantime the blame game is in full bloom. The No Camp sabre rattlers are talking about vacuums and vulnerability and the potential for a return to 'war' or 'conflict' and (once again) the people who make these utterances will never fear arrest or imprisonment. Why? They are democrats and parliamentarians, they belong to constitutional parties and they and only they can provide governance with a clear conscience. They should be called the Smirnoff ice parties. The Nationalist and republican Yes camp are vociferous and the Unionist Yes camp are increasingly sotto vocce.

Whatever the reasons for the fourth suspension of the Assembly the realities are clear; willing as most of them are it seems they cannot work together for the mutual benefit of all sides even when the country is facing its worst economic crisis. There is an ironic symbiosis in the ultimate closure of Harland and Wolff, the end of ship building and the 'fall' of Stormont again. We are all at the proverbial crossroads.So what has been the response from the general public. This writer took to the streets of Armagh to gauge reaction. Within nationalism there was resentment and belief that the British had engineered the whole scenario. Among Unionists reaction was a mixed.

"The British are prepared to sacrifice all progress towards peace on the altar of political expediency. They know that there can be no turning back, they know that only the bigots want to return to the old regime but Republicans will stand firm against them."

"I don't think there will ever be trust or confidence among the different parties. There is distrust and enmity even within Republicanism and it’s the same within Loyalism. We seem to be caught up in an historical Catch 22 situation. People are just apathetic. All they want is peace and prosperity".

"The IRA have been caught red handed at their dirty work. They want to have their cake and eat it. They proclaim peace while preparing for war. What do they really want. It's very simple they want it all their own way and that's not going to happen".

"This whole situation has been clearly set up by the British who are trying to save Trimble's neck. There's been peace for over five years and still no real progress towards equality. Why? Because the Paisleyites don't want to share power with Catholics. They are pure bigots. It's simple as that.

"What Sinn Fein IRA want is to go down the road of a united Ireland. It's not going to happen. One million Protestants won't stand by and let it happen. The only way forward is through dialogue and Unionists won't and shouldn't talk to those who are still planning to bomb and murder".

"Most republicans don't wish to resort again to armed struggle. They've signed up to the Agreement and took major risks to make it work. It's not their fault the Assembly is suspended. They have shown they can make peace work and are willing to talk to all parties. What do the DUP No Camp want? They want to wade knee deep in Fenian blood. They want it all their own way. The days of unionist domination and oppression are long gone."

"What happened to all this talk about prosperity and peace dividends. Industry here is decimated, Agriculture is on its knees, factories are closing down left, right and centre all over the north. There's not one factory in Armagh. So much for peace and prosperity. The politicians should wise up and stop putting their careers first. They'll still get their big wages and all their perks."

"Protestants will never trust Sinn/Fein IRA. They have murdered and maimed many people from their own community never mind Protestants. The loyalists are no better it's not about Ulster or God , it's about money, drugs, extortion and gangsterism. Things are as bad if not worse since the Assembly was set up. We'll all have to go back to the drawing board".

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